September 21, 2016

Gun Review: SAR B6P

As much as gun manufacturers have tried to make their products look current and tactical, the fact remains that firearms technology hasn’t advanced much in the last 120 years. The materials have been upgraded, but functionally they are the same weapons that were developed before the start of the 20th Century.

This has two implications for the bargain-minded shooter. The first is that the patents on many iconic designs have long since expired, making it possible for multiple manufacturers to produce the exact same firearm (so much so, the parts are sometimes interchangeable).

The second is that because this technology is so well-established, it is easy for smaller producers to enter the market and offer reliable products and far less than a ‘name brand’ manufacturer would offer.

One example of this is the SAR B6P, which is an updated version of the CZ-75 produced by the Turkish firm of Sarzilmar and imported by European American Armory.

First the good points. The B6P has excellent balance and feel. It points naturally, and the polymer grip fits well in my hand. It’s a right-handed weapon, so southpaws may not like it, but since I’m part of the righty majority, it suits me fine. Aesthetically, it has that fine matte-black tactical feel that is all the rage with the kiddies. The sights are highly visible and easy to use.

As you would expect, the B6P has the modern double action/single action trigger, allowing you to carry it with a round chambered and the hammer down. The difference in trigger pull is significant. Happily, the hammer does lend itself to manual cocking, so if you have time, you can go right to single action.

So aesthetics and ergonomics are pretty good.

Where the design falls short is functionality.

The first issue is the slide. Because the slide sits inside the frame, gripping it to pull it back is more difficult than it would be in a Hi-Power or 1911. It is undoubtedly the hardest pistol slide to cycle that I’ve ever used.

Then there’s the trigger.

Generally, when one thinks of trigger use, the focus is on what part of your finger makes contact with the trigger. That’s crucial with the B6P, but equally important is what part of the trigger your finger rests on.

I’m sure veteran shooters are puzzling over what I mean, but basically if you don’t have your finger on the sweet spot of the trigger (the center of the curve) you get a little bite when it fires.

Once I figured that out, my accuracy improved as did my comfort, but only in target shooting do you have the luxury finessing your grip and trigger placement. If I ever had to use it in an emergency, this would be a problem.

This brings me to my final issue – reliability. I’ve never had a pistol with so many issues. Rounds stovepiped and several times the slide didn’t move at all after firing. At first I thought it might be an ammo quality problem, but my trusty old SIG-Sauer P226 used the same ammo without incident.

Now when a 30-year old pistol beats out a brand new one in terms of reliability – that’s a problem.

It may well be that with time and some work, the reliability issues would clear up. I’ve seen the grip enhancers you can add to the slide and it’s possible a trigger job with improve it as well.

For people with that kind of time and energy – and wanting a very affordably priced handgun – the B6P may be a good fit.